More than 1.1 million jobs in the manufacturing sector and nearly six million jobs overall will be lost if Congress fails to extend the Trump Tax Cuts in President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, according to a new report — negative effects on small businesses that are swift, severe, and completely avoidable.
Here are some key takeaways from the report:
“More than 96% of businesses in America are organized as pass-throughs, meaning that they pay tax at individual income tax rates. Tax reform created a 20% deduction to allow these small businesses to compete on a level playing field with their peers organized as corporations … The pass-through deduction will expire completely at the end of 2025. A recent NAM survey found that 93% of pass-through manufacturers reported that the loss of this deduction will harm their ability to grow, create jobs and invest in their business.”
“The combination of the reduction in the top rate and the 20% passthrough deduction resulted in significant tax savings for these small businesses—enabling them to invest in new equipment, machinery, facilities and job creation. More than 74% of manufacturers have fewer than 20 employees, so it is crucial to the sector that Congress preserve tax reform’s competitive tax rates for small businesses.”
“If Congress does not act, accelerated depreciation will be entirely absent from the U.S. tax code for the first time in decades—limiting manufacturers’ ability to invest in the equipment and machinery they need to drive economic growth and job creation and making it more costly for businesses to invest in the U.S.”
“More than 90% of businesses in America are family-owned. In the manufacturing industry, family-owned businesses are a critical part of the manufacturing supply chain and pillars of their local communities … The estate tax exemption threshold is scheduled to be reduced by half at the end of 2025, subjecting more family business assets to taxation and threatening the viability of these businesses when the owner passes away. Congress should protect family-owned manufacturers by preserving the increased exemption threshold.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)
WASHINGTON — Speaker Johnson released the following statement after House Republicans approved the Trump Administration’s rescissions request to cut $9.4 billion in wasteful spending identified by DOGE.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, your taxpayer dollars are no longer being wasted. Instead, they are being directed toward priorities that truly benefit the American people.
“Today’s House passage of this initial rescissions package marks a critical step toward a more responsible and transparent government that puts the interests of the American taxpayers first.
“Thanks to DOGE’s work, this package eliminates $9.4 billion in unnecessary and wasteful spending at the State Department, USAID, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds politically biased media outlets like NPR and PBS. It is just one of the ways Republicans are codifying DOGE’s findings and putting taxpayer dollars to better use.
“We had hoped our Democrat colleagues would join us in this effort to ensure every dollar spent by the federal government is used efficiently and effectively. Rather than expressing concern over the misuse and misspending of funds, Democrats have instead chosen to oppose these reforms simply because Republicans are leading the charge. While they defend the failed, toxic status quo, Republicans will continue to deliver real accountability and restore fiscal discipline.”
Background:
The Trump Administration’s initial rescissions package totals $9.4 billion in wasteful and unnecessary spending identified by DOGE.
This package will codify DOGE cuts which include $8.3 billion in wasteful foreign aid spending and a $1.1 billion recission of federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which provides funds to NPR and PBS.
Process:
Under the Impoundment Control Act (ICA), the Administration may transmit a request to Congress to rescind previously appropriated funds through a rescissions package. Such a package only requires a simple majority vote in the Senate to be enacted.
Transmittal of a package triggers a 45-day clock, during which funds in accounts included in the rescissions package are withheld from obligation pending congressional action.
House Republicans voted to advance the rescissions package today and it has been sent to the Senate for consideration.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)
“Trump accounts fall drastically short of addressing the real hurdles Americans face.”
“In a just nation, everyone should have the economic power and financial opportunity to build wealth and live the productive life they choose. That’s what baby bonds offer: real solutions to wealth inequality and real investments that can transform the future for millions of children.”
WASHINGTON – In an op-ed published in the Washington Post, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and economist Darrick Hamilton discussed the regressive, ineffective “Trump Accounts” provision of Republicans’ reconciliation bill, outlined how Trump Accounts fall short of what is needed to close the wealth gap in America, and urged Congress to embrace Baby Bonds to advance economic justice.
For over six years, Rep. Pressley and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), in partnership with Mr. Hamilton, have championed Baby Bonds, bicameral legislation to close the racial wealth gap, disrupt cycles of intergenerational poverty, and make economic opportunity a birthright for every child.
The full text of the op-ed is available below and can be read on the Washington Post website here.
Washington Post Op-Ed: ‘Trump accounts’ will save kids? Republicans can’t be serious. By Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Darrick Hamilton June 11, 2025
In the United States, the wealthiest nation in the world, a child born into poverty is unlikely to ever climb out of it. Wealth inequality in this country has reached historic highs, with the top 10 percent of households holding 67 percent of the nation’s wealth, while the bottom 50 percent holds just 2.5 percent. This means that millions of children grow up lacking basic economic security.
Now as much as ever, we need real investment in our children.
The Republican reconciliation bill that recently passed the House does nothing to address our glaring wealth inequality. Not only does it slash Medicaid, food assistance and other essential programs for the more than 30 percent of Americans who can’t put together $400 for an emergency expense, but also tucked into this harmful bill are provisions that claim Americans can build wealth through “Trump accounts.” Under the GOP proposal, every child born in the next four years would receive a one-time $1,000 government contribution into a tax-free investment account, to which families may contribute up to $5,000 annually.
But this is not a serious solution.
Trump accounts fall drastically short of addressing the real hurdles Americans face. These accounts are built on the presumption that individuals lack the incentive to save. In fact, what they lack is disposable income. Anyone can lawfully open a savings account for their child, such as a 529 account for college, but most are not positioned to take advantage of such accounts. A 2016 Federal Reserve Bank study found that just 2.5 percent of all families had a 529 savings account — and among households in the bottom half of the income distribution, that number dropped to only 0.3 percent. Most are not positioned to take advantage of new savings accounts. And by restricting eligibility to children born in the next four years, the proposal makes clear it was never intended to truly confront generational poverty and the wealth gap.
Trump accounts are structured to benefit primarily more affluent families — those who already have money to invest. For those struggling to put food on the table or afford a doctor’s visit, the choice isn’t between consumption and investment — it’s between groceries and medicine. Though many Americans could use real support — such as extra cash when a new baby arrives — the Republican bill moving through the Senate threatens to slash essential programs, leaving families worse off. And ironically, it contains no provision to protect low-income recipients from the “benefit cliff” — the asset limits that could disqualify them from essential services such as housing or income support once they reach adulthood.
Contrast this with the legislative vision we’ve championed for more than six years: baby bonds.
Known in Congress as the American Opportunity Accounts Act, the legislation to create baby bonds is rooted in the principle that every child, no matter their race, family income or birth circumstances, deserves a fair shot at building wealth and securing their future.
Here’s how it works: Every child receives $1,000 at birth. But unlike Trump accounts, baby bonds don’t stop there. Children would continueto receive additional deposits from the government every year, progressivelyscaled to family income. These funds would grow over time in safe, federally managed investment accounts. At age 18, young adults could access their accounts to pay for allowable expenses, including homeownership, higher education or starting a business — the kind of human and financial capital investments that change life trajectories. Building wealth from birth this way is cost-effective — supercharging dollars through years of interest — and also disrupts the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
Baby bonds also tackle the root problem of asset inequality — something the regressive tax structure of the Trump accounts does not fix. Rather than simply encouraging investment by those who already have the money, baby bonds seek to ensure that everyone has a meaningful stake in the economy and an opportunity to build financial stability and wealth.
Baby bonds wouldn’t replace private investment — they would complement it by providing every young person with a baseline of security. They would create a public foundation of capital while still allowing private investment and individual agency. In doing so, they don’t displace the market but expand the pool of those who can benefit from it.
There is also a deeper issue at play. Trump accounts amount to a government subsidy for asset managers — another tax-advantaged inflow into the financial services industry. In effect, they are a backdoor giveaway to Wall Street, wrapped in the rhetoric of economic populism.
Our country has a long history of wealth-building programs that expanded opportunity — from the Homestead Act to the GI Bill, which led to the greatest expansion of the middle class in U.S. history. But too often, those benefits were not accessible to all Americans, especially Black Americans and Native Americans, from whom much of the land seeded in the Homestead Act was taken, often violently. We now have the chance to design a 21st-century wealth-building initiative that is inclusive, equitable and grounded in sound economic theory and evidence.
We vehemently oppose the Republican budget reconciliation bill and urge the Senate to halt this attack on Medicaid, food assistance and more. In a just nation, everyone should have the economic power and financial opportunity to build wealth and live the productive life they choose. That’s what baby bonds offer: real solutions to wealth inequality and real investments that can transform the future for millions of children.
Darrick Hamilton is chief economist at the AFL-CIO and director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at the New School. Ayanna Pressley, a Democrat, represents Massachusetts’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Over 300 Rural Hospitals at Disproportionate Risk of Closure, Conversion, or Service Reductions
Lawmakers Also Provided Data to President Trump, Leader Thune, and Speaker Johnson in Letter
Letter and Data | Sheps Response
Washington (June 12, 2025) – Following House Republicans’ passage of a bill that would impose the largest cuts to health care in U.S. history, slashing funding for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act by more than $1 trillion and triggering more than $500 billion in Medicare cuts, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y), Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Budget Committee, released detailed data from the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill concluding that Republican health care cuts could place over 300 rural hospitals across the U.S. at disproportionate risk of closure, conversion, or service reductions. The data is based on financial indicators including: share of Medicaid patients served, previous years of negative total margins, and data modeling on future financial distress.
The lawmakers also sent the data in a letter to President Trump, Leader John Thune, and Speaker Mike Johnson, writing, “Addressing the crisis in rural health care access is a national, bipartisan priority, and it should be bipartisan to not worsen that crisis. However, if your party passes these health care cuts into law, Americans in rural communities across the country risk losing health care services and jobs supported by their local hospitals. We urge you to read the attached report and reconsider your position. It is not too late to stop these cuts. Billionaire tax breaks are not worth the cost to American lives and livelihoods.”
The response from the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill states, “Substantial cuts to Medicaid or Medicare payments could increase the number of unprofitable rural hospitals and elevate their risk of financial distress. In response, hospitals may be forced to reduce service lines, convert to a different type of health care facility, or close altogether.” The data shows the following regarding at-risk rural hospitals:
Over 338 rural hospitals are at particular risk of closure, conversion, or service reduction from substantial health care cuts because the hospitals either take a high relative share of Medicaid patients, or have experienced 3 years of negative total margins, or both. This includes 33 hospitals in Louisiana, 35 hospitals in Kentucky, and 21 hospitals in Oklahoma.
In Alaska, 4 rural hospitals – more than 40 percent of rural hospitals with available data – serve high concentrations of Medicaid patients.
In West Virginia, nearly a quarter of rural hospitals are serving high concentrations of Medicaid patients, and 15 percent of rural hospitals are at the highest relative risk of financial distress.
In Alabama, 8 rural hospitals – nearly 20 percent of rural hospitals with available data – are in the highest relative risk category of financial distress.
In Tennessee, 9 rural hospitals – or 18 percent of rural hospitals in the state with available data – have experienced 3 years of negative total margins, and 9 rural hospitals are at highest relative risk of financial distress.
In the face of these Republican cuts, a majority of adults living in rural areas are concerned that health care cuts will “negatively impact hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care providers in [their] community.” Rural hospitals are struggling; in 2023, there were 50 fewer rural hospitals than in 2017, and a lack of health care access in rural America is contributing to worse health outcomes. Faced with additional cuts to their revenue, many rural hospitals may be forced to stop providing certain services, including obstetric, mental health, and emergency room care, convert to clinics or standalone emergency centers, or close altogether. Rural hospitals are often the largest employers in rural communities, and when a rural hospital closes or scales back their services, communities are not only forced to grapple with losing access to health care, but also with job loss and the resulting financial insecurity.
“If Republicans plan to pass drastic cuts to Medicaid and Medicare and effectively repeal the Affordable Care Act, communities should know exactly what they stand to lose,” said Senator Markey. “These health care cuts won’t just kick millions off their insurance. These cuts will plunge hospitals across the country into financial chaos, and as this data demonstrates, hundreds of rural hospitals across the country may be forced to stop providing care, limit their services, or close altogether. If hospitals close, many rural communities will lose the biggest employer they have. Seniors, the disabled, and pregnant people will have to travel farther to access care. Families will lose access to care. People will die. The more information we have about this bill, the worse it seems. No life or job is worth a yes vote on this big billionaire bill. We must make sure every American can see how Republicans are willing to pay for billionaire tax breaks with people’s lives, and we must defeat this ugly bill.”
“As this report proves, the Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Betrayal’ is a matter of life and death for millions of Americans. The cruel and far-reaching cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act are putting hundreds of rural hospitals at risk of closure, limiting services, or mass layoffs,” said Leader Schumer. “Rural Americans already face more obstacles to getting healthcare and many are the lifeblood and major employers of their communities, all of which Republicans are risking to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.”
“As I hold town hall meetings in each of Oregon’s 36 counties, I frequently hear about struggles folks have in accessing health care in their communities. This isn’t a red state or blue state issue. Medicaid helps every state – especially rural communities,” said Senator Merkley. “More than 300 rural hospitals will be at risk of shutting down – in Oregon and across the country – if Republicans betray middle class families and make these drastic cuts to Medicaid, all so that billionaires can pay less in taxes. This is the Republican plan: families lose, and billionaires win.”
The lawmakers sent a letter to the Sheps Center director on June 4, 2025, requesting the Center’s expert analysis of how this bill will impact rural hospitals and the communities they serve, particularly inquiring about which rural hospitals in the country treat the highest share of Medicaid recipients; how many rural hospitals are currently in financial distress or at risk of closure; and if the health care cuts in the House-passed budget reconciliation bill were to become law, would the rural hospitals with the highest share of Medicaid recipients or that are currently in financial distress face risk of closure or have to reduce services.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug LaMalfa 1st District of California
Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) joined President Trump at the White House for the signing of three Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions that block California’s sweeping vehicle emissions mandates from taking effect nationwide. The signing marks the successful conclusion of a major legislative effort backed by LaMalfa in the House.
“I was honored to be at the White House today as President Trump signed these critical resolutions I helped lead into law,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “California’s extreme vehicle mandates would have made it harder and more expensive for Americans to buy the cars and trucks they need, whether they live in California or not. These rules were designed to go national and force consumers, truckers, and most industries into costly electric vehicles with fewer options. These new laws are a major win for anyone who relies on a vehicle to get to work, run a business, or support their family. With his signature President Trump permanently stopped some of California’s most ridiculous rules.”
Congressman LaMalfa co-led the resolutions with Representatives John Joyce (R-PA), John James (R-MI), and Jay Obernolte (R-CA). The Senate passed the resolutions earlier this month, sending them to the president’s desk.
Background
Under the Clean Air Act, states are generally prohibited from setting their own tailpipe emission standards for cars and trucks. However, California has a unique exemption, which allows the state to establish its own emissions regulations if it submits a waiver to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and receives approval. Once granted, these California standards can also be adopted by other states. Currently, about a dozen states follow California’s emissions policies, effectively turning the state’s regulations into a nationwide mandate.
The Biden administration approved several controversial waivers requested by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), allowing the state to impose extreme emissions rules that impact car and truck costs and availability across the country. These include:
Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC2) – Approved in December 2024, this regulation mandates that 35% of new car sales be zero-emission by 2026, increasing to 100% by 2035. At least 12 states have already adopted ACC2. Failure to meet this goal means a maximum penalty of up to $25,000 per non-compliant gas-powered vehicle sold to consumers.
Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) – Approved in March 2023, this regulation forces truck manufacturers and retailers to meet strict zero-emission quotas by 2035, including 55% of Class 2B-3 truck sales, 75% of Class 4-8 straight truck sales, and 40% of truck tractor sales. At least 11 states have adopted ACT.
Omnibus Low-NOx Emissions Rule – Approved in December 2024, this regulation imposes aggressive emissions reductions on medium- and heavy-duty truck and other engines, requiring NOx emissions to be cut by 75% below current standards for Model Year 2024-2026 compared to 2010 levels and particulate matter emissions to be cut by 50%.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.
What you need to know: Former secretaries of the Army and Navy and retired four-star admirals and generals filed an amicus brief in support of the Governor’s motion to block the Trump administration’s illegal militarization of downtown Los Angeles.
SACRAMENTO – Veterans of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy, who collectively served under each president from John F. Kennedy to Barack H. Obama, recently filed an amicus brief in support of Governor Gavin Newsom’s motion to stop President Trump’s illegal takeover of California National Guard units and deployment of the Marines to downtown Los Angeles.
“Veterans of our military agree that President Trump’s takeover of Los Angeles is not only illegal – it poses a dangerous and serious risk to Americans who may find themselves in the crosshairs of troops ordered to act against their fellow Americans.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
Recently, several veterans and veteran rights’ groups came together to decry Trump’s militarization of California.
Illegal militarization
On June 7, one day after the protests began, President Trump issued a memorandum purporting to authorize the DOD to call up 2,000 National Guard personnel into federal service for a period of 60 days, and declaring a “form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States” and directing the Secretary of Defense to coordinate with state governors and the National Guard to commandeer state militias.
The action puts state sovereignty in danger, as his order was not specific to California and suggests that the President could assume control of any state militia.
The U.S. Constitution and the Title 10 authority the President invoked in the memo require that the Governor consent to federalization of the National Guard, which Governor Newsom was not given the opportunity to do prior to their deployment and which he confirmed he had not given shortly after their deployment. The President’s unlawful order infringes on Governor Newsom’s role as Commander-in-Chief of the California National Guard and violates the state’s sovereign right to control and have available its National Guard in the absence of a lawful invocation of federal power.
Additionally, DOD is now expanding the duties of these federal soldiers, ordering them to assist ICE agents in civilian law enforcement activities — including arresting and detaining immigrants and others who may be suspected or accused of interfering with ICE — a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution and the rights of American citizens.
Cleaning up Trump’s mess
On Saturday, there were 250+ protesters pre-National Guard deployment. On Sunday, the protesters grew to 3,000+ after the federal government commandeered the National Guard. Their presence is inviting and incentivizing demonstrations.
Since President Trump’s impulsive memo and actions to send the military to the Los Angeles region, the state continued to work with local partners to surge additional state and local law enforcement officers into Los Angeles to clean up President Trump’s mess. Local and state law enforcement has had to intervene to protect public safety. Federal soldiers are currently standing sentry outside federal buildings, with local and state law enforcement doing all of the work.
The President’s actions have not only caused widespread panic and chaos, but have unnecessarily created an additional diversion of resources as the state tries to calm a community terrorized by this reckless federal action
Hypocrisy on full display
President Trump agrees he’s breaking the law in California — here’s the evidence.
In 2020, Trump said he wouldn’t federalize National Guard members without the approval of the state’s Governor first. His own Department of Homeland Security leader said just last year that federalizing the National Guard would be a direct attack on state rights. The federal administration is adding more National Guard soldiers and Marines to an already charged situation when they are unneeded. Read more about the lawsuit here.
Press releases, Recent news
Recent news
Jun 12, 2025
News What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed an executive order further advancing California’s clean vehicle transition by kickstarting development of next-generation policy to spur innovation, updating state vehicle purchasing requirements, and directing the…
Jun 12, 2025
News LOS ANGELES – President Trump continues efforts to turn the military into his own personal police force against American citizens in Los Angeles. Prior to this week, President Trump and members of his administration have repeatedly and publicly declared that a…
Jun 12, 2025
News What you need to know: U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — a politically motivated move that will jeopardize public health and undermine proven scientific…
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins’ (R-LA) legislation H.R. 2056, the District of Columbia Federal Immigration Compliance Act, passed the House today. This legislation removes Washington D.C.’s sanctuary policies and requires compliance with lawful detainer requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security.
In 2020, D.C. enacted the Sanctuary Values Amendment Act, which prevents D.C. from learning about the immigration status of someone in custody and prevents the release of an individual for the purpose of transferring them into a federal immigration agency. The D.C. Council also enacted multiple policies that prohibit employees from cooperating with federal immigration agencies, such as ICE.
“Sanctuary policies prioritize criminal illegal aliens over the safety and security of the American people. Our nation’s capital city should set an example for enforcing federal immigration laws. I appreciate my colleagues’ support in the House. I urge the Senate to pass this bill and send it to President Trump’s desk so we can restore some modicum of decency in Washington, DC,” said Congressman Higgins.
Read the legislation here.
Watch Congressman Higgins’ floor speech on H.R. 2056 here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) is today leading 104 Members of Congress in reintroducing the National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. The groundbreaking legislation will finally extend common workplace rights and protections to the 2.2 million domestic workers in the United States, who are currently excluded from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and other key labor and safety laws that the majority of the workforce relies on. The legislation would also improve job quality by ensuring paid sick days, written agreements, and other benefits.
“Domestic workers are too often called essential, but treated as expendable,” said Jayapal. “These workers, who are predominantly women of color and immigrants, make all other work possible. This landmark legislation ensures that domestic workers are finally included in our existing labor laws, giving them access to the basic protections they deserve in the workplace, including overtime pay, guaranteed rest and meal breaks, time off, and legal protections from unsafe working conditions and harassment. It will finally give our domestic workers the dignity and respect they deserve. This legislation is more important now than ever as the Trump Administration works to strip many of the programs domestic workers rely on to survive, like Medicaid and food assistance.”
Since they are unprotected from labor laws, domestic workers are more likely to live in poverty than workers in other, protected sectors. In 2023, the typical domestic worker earned $20,926 per year, which is not enough to afford a one-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States. Four in five domestic workers also do not receive sick days, and one in three do not receive breaks during work.
“Domestic workers have always been essential,” said Jenn Stowe, Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. “For generations, women of color and immigrant women have provided the care that powers our economy and strengthens our communities. Yet today, that essential work is under threat—from looming Medicaid cuts that would devastate workers and care recipients alike, to harmful immigration enforcement that destabilizes families and instills fear in communities where there should be safety. The reintroduction of the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights is a declaration that no one should have to live or work in fear, and that every worker deserves dignity, safety, and respect.”
The legislation amends the Civil Rights Act and the FLSA to ensure domestic workers are able to earn overtime, sick days, and are able to request time off for personal reasons, that their employment is subject to a written agreement, that they are provided meal and rest breaks, that their privacy is protected, and that they are protected from workplace discrimination and harassment. It would also create additional resources to better implement these protections and rights and establish a National Domestic Worker Hotline where workers can call to seek assistance on employment issues.
The legislation is cosponsored by Alma S. Adams, PhD (NC-12), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-00), Rep. Nanette Barragan (CA-44), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Don Beyer (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Andre Carson (IN-07), Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sean Casten (IL-06), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Suzan DelBebe (WA-01), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Jesus G. “Chuy” Garcia (IL-04), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Al Green (TX-09), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Summer Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Doris Matsui (CA -07), Sarah McBride (DE-AL), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rob Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Deborah K. Ross (NC-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda Sanchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), David Scott (GA-13), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ -12), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).
It is also endorsed by A Better Balance, A.Y.U.D.A Inc., Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Black Labor Week Project Inc., Border Workers United, Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy , Caring Across Generations, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Centro Cultural de Mexico, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Coalition on Human Needs, Community Change Action, Detroit Disability Power, Family Values @ Work, Freedom Network USA, Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network, Institute for Women’s Policy Research, Just Solutions, Justice for Migrant Women, Justice in Aging, Michigan Disability Rights Coalition , MomsRising, National Council of Jewish Women, National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Employment Law Project, National Organization for Women, National Partnership for Women & Families, New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, New Orleans Workers’ for Racial Justice, Oxfam America, Paid Leave for All, People’s Action Institute , PHI, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Seventh Generation Interfaith Coalition for Responsible Investment, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, The Restaurant Opportunity Center of Pennsylvania (ROC PA), Women Employed, Women’s March.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)
Headline: Carter Introduces the Truth in Gender Act
Carter Introduces the Truth in Gender Act
Washington, June 12, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) introduced the Truth In Gender Act, a bill codifying President Trump’s Executive Order entitled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.”
The Executive Order brings back common sense and restores biological truth to the federal government by recognizing women as biologically female and men as biologically male.
“Biological men cannot be women, and biological women cannot be men. That’s a scientific fact. President Trump was spot on when he signed this executive order, and now we have the chance to codify it into law. With a clear definition of the two genders, we will be able to further protect female spaces from biological men masquerading as women and the radical liberal politicians, like Jon Ossoff, who put them there,” said Rep. Carter.
Responding to President Trump’s remarks that protesters will be met with “very heavy force”, Paul O’Brien, Amnesty International USA’s Executive Director, said:
“Now is a good moment to remind President Trump that protesting is a human right and that his administration is obligated to respect, protect, and fulfil the human rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly – not suppress them.
“The militarised response to protests, including the deployment of the National Guard and the Marines in Los Angeles, further escalates tensions and is a chilling preview of even more human rights violations that could be coming
“The Trump administration must urgently halt the militarised response to protests. The US military is not trained or equipped to police civilians. It increases the risk of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and other violations of free expression and peaceful assembly.
“The protests, whether against Israel’s genocide in Gaza or the relentless attacks on immigrantcommunities,are an urgent outcry against a broader pattern of human rights violations: death and destruction, mass deportations, unlawful detentions, expulsions to dangerous conditions in other countries, suppression of dissent, and the denial of due process.
“Make no mistake: President Trump’s response to protests has nothing to do with public safety. This is his administration’s way of stoking fear and suppressing opposition. By sending police, ICE, or the military into neighbourhoods to silence voices calling for justice and human rights, President Trump is continuing to send a clear and chilling message: dissent will be punished.
“Across the country, people are showing solidarity with immigrants and taking a stand against authoritarian practices. Together, we are making a powerful statement – human rights belong to all of us.”
BOSTON, MA, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —Netcapital Inc. (Nasdaq: NCPL, NCPLW) (the “Company”), a digital private capital markets ecosystem, today announced that Matt Morgan has joined the Company’s newly established Crypto Advisory Board.
A seasoned advisor to multiple blockchain ventures, Matt Morgan currently serves as an advisor to World Liberty Financial, a decentralized finance (DeFi) initiative backed by Donald Trump. He brings extensive expertise in digital asset strategy, decentralized systems, and the evolving regulatory landscape.
Morgan joins an accomplished group of industry leaders on the Crypto Advisory Board, including Kyle Klemmer, Josh Meier, Eric Galen, Armondo Soto, and Noah Holmes.
“The integration of blockchain, digital assets, and crypto with traditional finance presents an exciting opportunity for Netcapital to lead in shaping the future of capital formation,” said Martin Kay, CEO of Netcapital Inc. “We are excited to welcome Matt and the entire Crypto Advisory Board to the team as we pursue innovation at the intersection of fintech and decentralized finance.”
In connection with their appointments, the Company has granted each Crypto Advisory Board member stock options under its 2023 Equity Incentive Plan.
Company Also Announces PIPE Financing to Support Growth
In a separate announcement, the Company issued an aggregate of 118,750 shares of its common stock at a purchase price of $4.00 per share, for gross proceeds of $475,000, in a private placement to ten accredited investors. The shares are subject to a price reset provision, which adjusts the effective purchase price in the event the Company issues additional equity securities at a lower price in the future. However, in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d), the adjusted price shall not be lower than the “Minimum Price,” which is $2.56.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes.
The securities described above have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. The Company has agreed to file a resale registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) covering the resale of the securities issued in the offering.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About Netcapital Inc.
Netcapital Inc. is a fintech company with a scalable technology platform that allows private companies to raise capital online and provides private equity investment opportunities to investors. The Company’s consulting group, Netcapital Advisors, provides marketing and strategic advice and takes equity positions in select companies. The Company’s funding portal, Netcapital Funding Portal, Inc. is registered with the SEC and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a registered national securities association. The Company’s broker-dealer, Netcapital Securities Inc., is also registered with the SEC and is a member of FINRA.
Forward Looking Statements
The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
June 12, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke out against Trump nominees continuing to claim there are instances when a public official may defy a court order during today’s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting. Specifically, Durbin spoke about comments made by Stanley Woodward, Jr., nominated to be Associate Attorney General, during his nomination hearing.
Key Quotes:
“I think this is relatively new to this Committee—the line of questioning about the Executive Branch defying or following court orders.”
“I think the most direct statement… to the merits of the issue was from Senator Kennedy of Louisiana, who came in and made it clear in his mind at that time that it is unequivocally the responsibility of people to follow a court order. You can appeal it, as long as the law allows, and you can criticize it within the bounds of legal ethics, but it is a court order, and it needs to be followed. We’ve tried to ask that question consistently of all nominees, so that we understand they share Senator Kennedy’s belief and my belief.”
“During his confirmation hearing, Mr. Woodward was asked whether Executive Branch officials may lawfully defy a court order multiple times, by multiple Senators, giving different answers to each one of them.”
“He told Senator Kennedy he would not advise a client to refuse to follow a court order. Shortly after, [he told] Senator Schiff, ‘it depends.’”
“In answers to written questions to clarify this once and for all, Mr. Woodward did nothing to clarify his stance, writing that ‘generally’ he would advise a client to comply with court orders. ‘Generally’?”
“Failing to commit unequivocally to following federal court orders should disqualify any nominee before this Committee—whether he is a Republican or Democrat.”
“Mr. Woodward is nominated to be the number three official at the Justice Department… I think that answer should have been clear… there was an equivocation, which I cannot explain. It is inconsistent with what Senator Kennedy established as a standard and one that I share.”
Video of Durbin’s statement in Committee is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s statement in Committee is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s statement in Committee is available here for TV Stations.
-30-
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
June 12, 2025
After his failed nomination to be U.S. Attorney for DC, Ed Martin was installed in various Justice Department roles and has publicly vowed to target Trump’s enemies
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi on Ed Martin’s stated plans to abuse his positions at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to help President Trump’s friends and punish his perceived enemies.
After Mr. Martin’s failed nomination to be U.S. Attorney for D.C. was withdrawn, President Trump appointed him to serve in non-Senate-confirmed positions like Pardon Attorney and Director of the Weaponization Working Group. He is the first political appointee to ever hold the role of Pardon Attorney.
Durbin began by citing concerning comments by Mr. Martin at a DOJ press conference on May 13 and subsequent interview with Tucker Carlson, writing: “Following his disgraceful tenure as Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Mr. Martin apparently plans to continue his misconduct in his new roles at DOJ… These statements are a brazen admission that Mr. Martin plans to systemically violate the Justice Manual’s prohibition on extrajudicial statements by shaming uncharged parties for nakedly partisan reasons. This plan clearly violates Mr. Martin’s obligations under the D.C. Rules of Professional Conduct, which prohibit prosecutors from ‘mak[ing] extrajudicial comments which serve to heighten condemnation of the accused.’ Weaponizing DOJ in this manner will further undermine the public’s trust in the department in irreparable ways.”
Durbin continued by highlighting several abuses of power by Mr. Martin since becoming Pardon Attorney, writing: “As the first political appointee to ever hold this position, Mr. Martin has overseen pardons of numerous Trump supporters and donors. Last month President Trump pardoned nursing home executive Paul Walczak for tax fraud just three weeks after Walczak’s mother paid $1 million to attend a Trump fundraiser. He pardoned Todd and Julie Chrisley, conservative reality television stars and ‘vocal supporters of President Trump,’ for bank fraud and tax evasion. The President pardoned Trevor Milton, founder of Nikola electric vehicle company, after Milton donated nearly $2 million to the Trump campaign last year. He also pardoned former Republican Congressmen Michael Grimm for tax fraud and former Republican Governor John Rowland for public corruption. In the aftermath of these scandalous pardons, Mr. Martin tweeted: ‘No MAGA left behind.’”
Durbin then cited Mr. Martin’s personal advocacy for pardoning violent insurrectionists, writing: “Mr. Martin has also personally advocated pardoning Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and others who were convicted of seditious conspiracy for their role in planning and instigating the violence against law enforcement on January 6, 2021. These 11 individuals already received commutations of their sentences from President Trump on January 20, 2025, despite showing no remorse for their crimes. No developments in the four months since their commutations justify any consideration of their pardon applications, yet Mr. Martin has fast-tracked them for consideration by the White House immediately after their submission.”
Durbin then renewed two delinquent oversight requests from letters sent to Attorney General Bondi regarding the pardons of January 6th insurrectionists and the presidential pardon power.
Durbin concluded with a request for memoranda, correspondence, and other records authorizing Mr. Martin to pursue these plans and their legal justification.
For a PDF copy of the letter to Attorney General Bondi, click here.
-30-
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John James (Michigan 10th District)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Donald J. Trump signed into law legislation authored by U.S. Congressman John James (MI-10) marking a major victory for America’s trucking industry, small business owners, and working families. The Clean Truck Congressional Review Act (CRA) overturns extreme Biden-Era Green New Deal mandates that threaten to crush America’s trucking industry, kill good-paying jobs, and hike prices for America’s families.
Rep. James’ Clean Truck CRA strikes down the Environmental Protection Agency’s heavy-handed emissions rule that would have added up to $42,000 to the cost of a single diesel truck — a price tag that would have bankrupted independent truckers and driven mom-and-pop businesses off the road. The settling of the Advanced Clean Trucks rule with the state of California was part of the Biden Administration’s broader attempt to push Green New Deal-style mandates through the back door of federal regulation.
“This is what leadership looks like,” Congressman James stated. “Washington Elites said it couldn’t be done, but with President Trump’s signature we’ve made good on our promise to protect our jobs, lower prices, defend our supply chains, and keep Democrats’ radical Green New Deal agenda out of the driver’s seat.”
The CRA passed the House on April 30th and cleared the Senate on May 22nd, despite intense pressure from radical, far-left environmental groups and D.C. bureaucrats desperate to preserve the mandate. Passage of the CRA marks the first successful Republican reversals of Biden-era policy, underscoring the growing momentum under Republican leadership in Congress to codify President Trump’s agenda.
“My father got his start fighting harmful government regulation on trucking. Now, his son has defeated harmful government regulation on trucking. This is a huge win for the men and women who don’t get days off, who get behind the wheel before sunrise and keep this country running,” James continued. “America’s workers don’t need coastal elites from California to Washington, D.C. telling them how to do their jobs — they need the freedom to compete, the infrastructure to deliver, and the respect they’ve earned. I’m proud that my legislation can deliver just that.”
Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
Funding Allowed Schools To Hire Mental Health Professionals, Including Counselors And Social Workers
The Grant Programs Received Major Funding In 2022 Legislation Passed After Deadly Mass Shootings in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX
New York StateFaces Loss Of Almost $50 Million In Funding
***A Full Recording Of The Press Conference is Available HERE***
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference calling on the Trump administration to restore federal funding for two grant programs that support mental health services in schools. The grant programs received $1 billion in funding as part of the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), legislation passed in the wake of deadly mass shootings at the Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo and at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
In addition to gun safety measures, BSCA included major funding for mental health programs, including the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program and the School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program. These two grants aim to address concerns of a growing student mental health crisis, and they were slated to provide $1 billion in funding over five years to help schools and school districts hire and expand the workforce of school-based mental health professionals.
In late April, the Trump administration announced that it was cutting off the funding for these two programs. This decision impacts almost $50 million in funding for schools and school districts in New York State.
“Congressdedicated $1 billion in funding for school-based mental heath programs with bipartisan support as part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022,”said Senator Gillibrand.“Now, President Trump is unilaterally stoppingthese grants and threatening nearly $50 million that New York schools are owed and plan to use to hire counselors, social workers, and other critical staff. This decision will hurt our students, and I am calling on the Trump administration to immediately reverse it. I encourage my colleagues to do the same.”
Specifically, the Trump administration’s decision will endanger:
$8 million in Central New York
$7.1 million in the Finger Lakes
$12.1 million in the Southern Tier
$9.6 million in Western New York
$3.1 million on Long Island
$4.6 million in NYC
$4.7 million in the Hudson Valley
$600,000 in the Mohawk Valley
The full text of Senator Gillibrand’s letter to the Secretary of Education is availablehere or below:
Dear Secretary McMahon,
I write to you with grave concern over the administration’s reports of terminations of youth mental health grant funding to school districts in New York. The Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant (MHSP) and School-Based Mental Health Services Grant (SBMH) programs have benefitted not only New York but countless states across the country in urban and rural settings alike. I wrote to you about these terminations on May 9, 2025, and received an unsatisfactory response from your office on May 30, 2025. Both MHSP and SBMH programs play a vital role in addressing the shortage of school-based mental health professionals. Furthermore, they do not undermine standards for fairness, merit, and excellence in education as asserted in your response sent on May 30, 2025.
Your response to my earlier letter indicated that both the MHSP and SBMH programs would end at the end of the grants’ current budget periods. This outcome would harm both the students and mental health professionals who benefit from these programs. The demand for behavioral health, mental health, and substance abuse disorder services is projected to increase in the coming years. By 2037, it is estimated that there will be a shortage of 113,830 psychologists, 50,440 psychiatrists, and 39,710 school counselors. The MHSP and SBMH programs directly address this shortage, and discontinuing these programs will negatively impact current and future students.
These funding streams were intended to create a workforce development pipeline for school counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Thousands of students have benefited from the mental health care they received because of these programs. There are also hundreds of future mental health professionals in New York alone who benefit from these programs. However, with current grants set to expire soon, successful programs, like those in Lyons Central School District and the Seneca Falls Central School District, that have built mental health professional pipelines for students in high-need school districts could see their momentum stopped in its tracks. Hundreds of future mental health professionals, who are sorely needed across New York, stand to lose the support of innovative programs that serve my constituents and their families.
I am concerned that the Department is disrupting grant funding that truly represents how the government can address the direct needs of our taxpayers and their families. These programs work, and New York students deserve their continued benefits.
I request your response to the following questions by no later than June 4, 2025:
1. Will the Department commit to answering the nine questions from my original letter sent May 9, 2025, most of which were unaddressed in your response dated on May 30, 2025?
2. How did each MHSP and SBMH grant that received a non-continuation notice violate Federal civil rights law?
3. What are the Department’s plans to recompete its mental health program funds in the next grant cycle, including the grant application and selection criteria for the upcoming cycle?
4. How will the Department address service disruptions for New York students after the expiration of this funding?
5. Explain how the Department plans to address mental health workforce shortages stemming from the disruption of this funding.
6. Have New York mental health and education stakeholders been engaged? Please provide a detailed explanation of your engagement processes with stakeholders.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference where he emphasized that Democrats will continue to push back on the extremism being unleashed by House Republicans and the out-of-control Trump administration that is hurting American communities and our national security.
LEADER JEFFRIES: From the very beginning of this Congress, House Democrats have made clear that we will work with anyone in this town who is interested in making life better for the American people. House Democrats believe that America is too expensive. We’re committed to lowering housing costs, childcare costs, grocery costs, insurance costs and utility costs. There are far too many people in the United States of America who are struggling to live paycheck to paycheck. That should not happen in the wealthiest country in the history of the world.
Republicans and Donald Trump spent all of last year promising to lower the high cost of living. They haven’t done a damn thing to do it. Not a single thing. Trump promised that costs in America would go down on day one. Costs aren’t going down, they’re going up. Inflation is on the way up. Our credit rating as a country has been downgraded. The bond markets are having an adverse reaction to Trump’s presidency. The Trump tariffs are going to increase costs on everyday Americans by thousands of dollars a year. Donald Trump and House Republicans are crashing the American economy and are driving us toward a recession.
Yet House Republicans, later on this afternoon, are going to put forward a reckless rescissions package. It’s going to undermine America’s national security, hurt our ability to protect the American people in terms of their health, their safety and their well-being, including by going after a George W. Bush bipartisan initiative that has saved thousands, actually, hundreds of thousands, actually, millions of lives across the world by combating the HIV and AIDS crisis. And yet Republicans want to rip billions of dollars away from America’s efforts to keep her people safe and secure to satisfy some extreme ideological crusade related to a deeply unpopular effort formerly led by Elon Musk to devastate the American way of life.
And in all likelihood, every single House Republican, despite the claims that there’s some anxiety, will cave to Donald Trump and vote for the reckless Republican rescissions package. House Republicans aren’t interested in functioning like a separate and co-equal branch of government and holding the Trump administration accountable for its extremism.House Republicans will continue to behave like nothing more than a reckless Rubber Stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme agenda just like they did yesterday. And they’ll do the same thing today in voting to cut programs that are important when it comes to protecting the health, the safety, the national security and the economic well-being of the American people.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)
Headline: Chairman Carter Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Health Hearing on Strengthening Domestic Manufacturing and Our Health Care Supply Chain
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Made In America: Strengthening Domestic Manufacturing And The Health Care Supply Chain.
Subcommittee Chairman Carter’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:
“Today’s hearing is critical in addressing our nation’s reliance on adversarial countries for essential medications and health care products. This dependence not only jeopardizes our national security and patient safety, but also highlights the urgent need to increase domestic and friend-shored manufacturing.
“Let me be clear: The United States should never be dependent on the Chinese Communist Party for the antibiotics and essential medicines. But that’s exactly the dangerous position we are in today.
“In 2002, the United States manufactured 72 percent of the pharmaceuticals it consumed. By 2023, that number had dropped to just 37.5 percent. We didn’t just outsource manufacturing—we outsourced the sovereignty and safety of our health care system.
“We saw the impacts of this reliance firsthand during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a conversation I had with the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, or ASPR, under the Trump Administration, the United States saw a downtick in the amount of PPE and pharmaceuticals coming to our country from China in the fall of 2019. We didn’t learn about COVID-19 until January 2020.
“China knew there was an unidentified sickness in its own country, concealed it, and then withheld medical supplies so the United States was less prepared when COVID-19 hit our shores.
“As both a pharmacist and a member of Congress, I know how critical these medicines and supplies are — especially for our national security. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, over 323 drugs were in shortage during the first quarter of 2024 – an all-time high – and cancer patients were often forced to switch treatments, adjust dosage regimens, or, in extreme cases, unable to receive their lifesaving medications. There was no comprehensive effort to support American manufacturers or reduce our reliance on foreign supply chains.
“That is unacceptable.
“Thankfully, President Trump is taking meaningful action by demanding real investment in our domestic production base and putting an end to decades of failed ‘America Last’ policies that left our supply chains hollowed out and put our patients, constituents, and families at risk.
“Under the leadership of President Trump, we are bringing manufacturing back to America. Since the start of this year – the start of President Trump’s second term – Johnson & Johnson broke ground on a new $2 billion facility in North Carolina, Amgen announced a $900 million manufacturing expansion in Ohio, AbbVie committed $10 billion to invest in the United States, and Sanofi announced plans to invest at least $20 billion.
“And these are just a few examples. This is just the start.
“I look forward to hearing from my other colleagues about the recent investments in their districts and states during this hearing today, and I am thrilled to see what additional investments continue to flow and thrive under an Administration focused on unleashing innovation and bringing capacities back home.
“Along those lines, I commend recent efforts by this Administration to bolster domestic production, but we must do our part in Congress as well. This hearing will make it clear that more can be done to eliminate burdensome regulatory barriers, streamline processes that impede our competitiveness on the global stage, and establish the proper incentives to ensure we are creating the environment to allow innovation to flourish.
“It is no coincidence that Georgia – the No. 1 state in the nation to do business – is home to Manus Bio, who has invested nearly $60 million and created over 100 jobs with the acquisition of a new manufacturing facility in Augusta. We need more policies at the federal level that mirror the pro-growth examples we have in the state of Georgia.
“That is why House Republicans passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which incentivizes domestic medical supply production by rewarding companies that build their products in America, like USAntibiotics, who is the last remaining end-to-end domestic U.S. manufacturer of amoxicillin, the most prescribed antibiotic in the country.
“This is about protecting American lives, empowering American workers, restoring American sovereignty, and reinforcing U.S. leadership in medical innovation.
“China is not our friend. Every product component that then turns into a vial of medicine or a piece of medical equipment that is made in China is a missed opportunity to strengthen our economy and protect our people.
“It is time to act. We need to view pharmaceutical and health care supply chain independence just as we are viewing energy independence. I am proud to stand with President Trump and all those committed to putting America First in our health care system—starting with the medicines we rely on every day.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)
June 12, 2025
Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) released the following statement after President Trump signed resolutions to overturn California’s clean air standards:
“Southern California used to have nonstop smog alerts. I grew up in the 1980s, when air pollution would often make the mountains in the distance vanish behind a brown haze. That changed because leaders from both parties—Republicans like Reagan and Schwarzenegger, Democrats like Brown and Newsom—stepped up and said: clean air shouldn’t be negotiable.
“Now Donald Trump wants to take away California’s right to set our own clean air standards and undo decades of bipartisan progress.
“We’re not going back. Not to the smog. Not to the asthma. And not to a future where polluters get to call the shots.”
OAKLAND – Yesterday, former secretaries of the Army and Navy and retired four-star admirals and generals filed an amicus brief in support of California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s unlawful orders federalizing the California National Guard and deploying Marines to Los Angeles:
“The United States military is not primarily a law enforcement organization and is prohibited by law from acting as a domestic police force unless doing so is ‘expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress’…
“A bedrock principle of American democracy is that our military is apolitical. Accordingly, United States military personnel are not permitted to engage in political conduct while on duty or to use their military status to endorse political candidates or political causes. Critical to the military’s ability to carry out its core functions is retaining the public’s respect and maintaining cohesion and unity within its ranks—regardless of the political leanings of individual citizens or soldiers. Particular caution is therefore necessary if the U.S. military is to be deployed domestically in the context of a politically charged situation. It is essential that such deployments be a last resort, especially in the context of policing protests and other constitutionally protected speech and activities.
“For that reason, and as noted above, federal deployments on U.S. soil have been rare, serious, and legally clear. The last major deployment of federal troops domestically occurred during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, at the request of California Governor Pete Wilson and pursuant to the Insurrection Act. That deployment followed widespread violence and looting of businesses, the burning of entire blocks of homes and businesses, and dozens of civilian fatalities. Public reporting from Los Angeles suggests that, notwithstanding troubling incidents of property damage and violence, the recent and ongoing situation appears to be different in kind…
“The active-duty military and National Guard serve a critical role in U.S. national security. Domestic deployments that fail to adhere to exacting legal requirements and long-established guardrails threaten their core national security and disaster relief missions, put the military at risk of politicization, and pose serious risks to both servicemembers and civilians.
“We appreciate the Court’s due consideration of these critical factors in adjudicating Plaintiffs’ Ex Parte Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order.”
This program was abused by the previous administration to admit hundreds of thousands of poorly vetted illegal aliens into the United States
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began sending termination notices to aliens paroled into the United States (U.S.) under a Biden-era parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV).
The messages informed the illegal aliens both their parole is terminated, and their parole-based employment authorization is revoked – effective immediately. These notices will be sent to the email addresses provided by the parolees.
“The Biden Administration lied to America. They allowed more than half a million poorly vetted aliens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela and their immediate family members to enter the United States through these disastrous parole programs; granted them opportunities to compete for American jobs and undercut American workers; forced career civil servants to promote the programs even when fraud was identified; and then blamed Republicans in Congress for the chaos that ensued and the crime that followed,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.“Ending the CHNV parole programs, as well as the paroles of those who exploited it, will be a necessary return to common-sense policies, a return to public safety, and a return to America First.”
Starting in 2022, the Biden administration released over 500,000 poorly vetted aliens into the U.S. under the CHNV parole program. President Trump canceled this program, and the Supreme Court upheld this cancellation on May 30, 2025. DHS is now notifying parole recipients if they have not obtained lawful status to remain in the U.S., they must leave immediately.
DHS encourages any illegal alien residing in the U.S. to self-deport with the CBP Home Mobile App. If they do so, they will receive travel assistance and a $1,000 exit bonus upon arrival in their home country.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks during the House Appropriations Full Committee Markup of the FY26 Defense Bill. Below is a video and transcript of his remarks:
Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.
“Thank you, Mr. Chairman [the budget was due] on February 3rd. (checks microphone) Seems to be on, it’s not working? It is not down. But when Mr. Vought appeared before our subcommittee, he told us why. Not because he doesn’t have it, not because you can’t give us the information, but because they have chosen until the reconciliation [passes], they will not give it to us. That is why we don’t have that information on which to act.
“Now, I’m going to be talking at greater length on Ukraine when Ms. Kaptur offers her amendment. But let me say this. Last night I met with a group of Ukrainians. One of them was Sergeant Andrei Smolenskyi. He’s receiving treatment at Walter Reed for wounds he sustained fighting Russian invaders. He lost his eyesight. He lost both arms, but he has not lost his determination to make Ukraine free and whole once more. Let us not lose our determination to do the same. That’s what strength looks like. He came to our Capitol, asked for us to stand with Ukraine. So sad that he had to ask, I thought we did stand with Ukraine. Frankly, Mr. Trump, Mr. Vance, Mr. Hegseth, Mr. Rubio, Ms. Gabbard have put that at risk almost every time they talk. If Russia wins, America loses. Mr. Rogers, the Chairman of our Armed Services Committee, says – the Mike Rogers – says, that if – [he] puts in a different way: He says Russia must lose this war or the message we send will be louder than all the dollars we put in this bill.
“I hope every one of us will support the Castor amendment – Kaptur amendment, I’m going to talk more about it. Putin – I’ve said this before, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, Khomeini and the rest of their axis of aggression are watching us right now with this bill. Legislation like this, even when it fails to become law, makes America look weak, timid, lacking resolve, and uncommitted to defending freedom here and around the world from dictators, despots, and international war criminals. So do the reckless terminations of civilian national security employees and top-ranking military officers. We have to reject this bill and work on a bipartisan alternative to address these issues if we are to reaffirm our strength to the world.
“I have voted for 90% of the defense bills that have gone through this House in the last 44 years. I believe that America needs to have a strong defense. A defense which surpasses all other in the world, a military that has the equipment and the training to be the best in the world when we put them at the point of the spear. Since Russia’s invasion in 2022 of Ukraine, this Congress has had at least 12 votes on the issue of supporting Ukraine. On average, 80% of the Congress of the House of Representatives has voted to support Ukraine. 80%, eight out of ten. Both sides, except on one vote, had a majority of their members voting to help Ukraine. And yet this bill withdraws money to do exactly what 80% of this Congress is committed to do.
“I’m going to talk more about what Senator McConnell has to say about this and what Senator – what President Kennedy had to say about it. Suffice it now to say that we need to demonstrate our resolve, and we can do it today on our voting in this, in this House. Sergeant Smolenskyi and thousands of others in Ukraine, but millions and billions of others throughout the world count on America. Let’s not let them down. I yield.”
Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Open America’s Waters Act today to deregulate America’s coastal trade and alleviate the energy crisis by repealing the outdated Jones Act. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) introduced a companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Outdated regulations from the Jones Act have deepened the energy crisis and heightened prices for Americans on goods from our own country,” said Senator Mike Lee. “American producers have been forced into dangerous workarounds like importing their energy resources from Russia. The Open America’s Waters Act will cut this 105-year-old red tape to alleviate the energy crisis, bring prices down for Americans, and protect our national security from adversarial nations.”
“The Jones Act is outdated in a global economy. It enriches a very small special interest at the expense of every consumer in America,” said Rep. McClintock. “Repealing this restrictive and counterproductive law is vital for the new golden age that President Trump has envisioned.”
Background:
The Open America’s Waters Act would repeal the Jones Act, an outdated and particularly demanding regulation on America’s coastal trade. The Jones Act requires all goods transported by water between U.S. ports to be carried on a vessel that was constructed and registered in the U.S., and is both owned and primarily crewed by U.S. citizens.
While these requirements were originally touted in 1920 as necessary for America’s national security, they have actually endangered it by severely limiting access to critical energy sources and incentivizing American companies to contract with adversarial nations in their efforts to comply with its stipulations. Additionally, the elevated costs associated with compliance result in higher prices for Americans on goods produced in their own country.
Attempts to comply with the Jones Act have forced American producers to choose expensive and even politically risky transportation options. For example, cattle ranchers in Hawaii have opted for expensive planes rather than boats to transport cattle to the mainland. Puerto Rico imports jet fuel from Venezuela – benefitting the human rights-violating Maduro regime – rather than nearby Gulf Coast refineries. And because there are no compliant specialty carriers capable of transporting LNG or propane gas, Massachusetts and Puerto Rico have had to import LNG from adversarial Russia.
The Open America’s Waters Act would repeal the outdated Jones Act regulations to cut red tape for American producers, improve national security by disincentivizing contracts with adversarial nations, and bring down prices for American consumers.
The Open America’s Waters Act would:
Repeal the 105-year-old Jones Act regulations requiring all goods transported by water between U.S. ports to be carried on a vessel: (1) Constructed in the U.S., (2) Registered in the U.S., (3) Owned by U.S. Citizens, and (4) Primarily crewed by U.S. citizens.
Read the full text of the legislation here.
President Donald Trump is making an earnest and sincere effort to secure a ceasefire and an eventual just and honorable end to the Russia-Ukraine war.
He and his team have engaged Russia’s Vladimir Putin in order to find that pathway forward, but it is clear the only pathway Putin is interested in is military operations in Ukraine and eventually, beyond.
As a result, the coming days will be extremely consequential for the Kremlin and those who are propping up Putin’s war machine. Additional action from both Europe and the United States is inevitable.
The Russia-Ukraine war has garnered global attention, not only because of its barbaric nature but also the consequences to world order.
We have been working with the White House since day one in drafting this package. We now have over 84 Senate cosponsors and 70 House cosponsors of legislation to enact hard-hitting sanctions and tariffs on Russia and its financial backers.
It is clear to me and virtually every sponsor of the Russia sanctions bill that the way we deal with Putin will either encourage or deter bad actors.
The purpose of this legislation is to break the cycle of China — a communist dictatorship — buying oil below market price from Putin’s Russia, which empowers his war machine to kill innocent Ukrainian civilians.
This bill would end that cycle.
China is watching the United States’ resolve regarding Putin’s effort to dismember Ukraine and possibly other sovereign nations. It is not my goal to humiliate Russia, but it is my goal to make sure that China sees the outcome of this conflict and feels that its efforts to take Taiwan by force would not be in the People’s Republic’s best interest.
It is also very important that we let Iran and other aggressive nation states know that the price for disrupting world order, seizing other nation’s land and trying to dominate their neighbors is not worth it.
I have been incredibly impressed with Europe’s recent resolve, both in toughening sanctions and investing in their military. Europe is answering President Trump’s call to increase defense spending to 5% of their gross domestic product.
As a result of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, NATO is bigger and tougher than ever. However, it is important that we continue to act decisively to end this war not only soon, but in the right way.
Unfortunately, the more we engage Putin, the more aggressive he gets. It’s time to change the game.
New European sanctions on Russia’s energy and banking sectors were released this week, and they are more hard-hitting than ever. This package also singles out Chinese business entities for their financial support of the war and recommends lowering the price that Europe pays for Russian oil from $60 to $45 per barrel, in order to drive down Russian revenues that allow Putin’s bloodbath to continue.
As to the Russia sanctions bill in the U.S. Congress, overwhelming support continues to build. Our goal is to give President Trump more leverage to end this war quickly.
This bicameral, bipartisan bill is simple – and we’ve made some important changes.
If a country doesn’t do business with Russia, the sanctions and tariffs don’t apply.
If a country does business with Russia, but they also help Ukraine militarily and economically, there’s a 270-day exception on sanctions and tariffs being imposed. There will be additional waivers as well, including a presidential waiver for sanctions and other measures that mirrors language used in the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) signed into law by President Trump in 2017.
If a country buys cheap Russian oil and gas and other products and doesn’t help Ukraine, they are screwed. That is the price for propping up Putin’s war machine.
The United States and our allies have paid a price in the past to maintain freedom and order, and we shall again.
Republican Lindsey Graham represents South Carolina in the United States Senate.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
June 12, 2025
Lawmakers’ recommendations would save U.S. government more than $2 trillion over next decade while making everyday Americans better off; provide stark contrast to Republican bill that would cut health coverage for millions
“Mr. Musk’s efforts at DOGE were never truly about cutting waste….DOGE pushed reckless policies that gutted essential services and ousted experienced civil servants, all while reducing oversight and increasing profits for Mr. Musk’s companies.”
Text of Letter (PDF)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee for Delivering on Government Efficiency, wrote to President Donald Trump, pressing him on Elon Musk’s and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s failures to cut government waste and lower costs. The lawmakers laid out a set of recommendations that would, in stark contrast to Republican proposals, eliminate $2 trillion in wasteful government spending without slashing critical government programs and causing economic chaos.
The letter follows a public feud between Trump and Musk, which began shortly after Musk’s departure from the White House. It also comes as Republicans jam through Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which includes multi-trillion-dollar tax cuts for the rich, paid for by massive cuts to Americans’ health care coverage.
“It is time to eliminate the real waste, fraud, and abuse in government spending, rather than ravaging programs that keep Americans safe, secure, and healthy just to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations,” wrote the lawmakers. “You should learn from Elon Musk and DOGE’s mistakes, end your attacks on critical federal programs, and instead act on these recommendations.”
The lawmakers highlighted DOGE’s failure to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse — instead, Musk’s approach increased costs and suffering for Americans. DOGE’s “wall of receipts” included significant errors and misinformation. Musk’s efforts to gut up to 10% of the federal workforce were found to have created “exponentially larger waste.” When DOGE did make cuts to the federal budget, they seemingly ran afoul of the law.
“In a futile search for fraud in the wrong places, and an ill-informed effort to slash the federal workforce, DOGE has imposed more costs on American taxpayers than it has saved, all while helping Elon Musk’s business empire and DOGE employees’ pockets,” wrote the lawmakers.
As an alternative to DOGE’s failures, the lawmakers offered recommendations to reduce wasteful government spending, eliminate unfair loopholes and giveaways to the wealthiest Americans, make the government more efficient and effective, and save taxpayers at least $2 trillion over the next decade.
“Although Mr. Musk and DOGE have failed at achieving their purported savings goals, you could choose to end this government waste while avoiding dangerous cuts to important federal programs,” wrote the lawmakers.
The lawmakers’ recommendations include: cracking down on healthcare profiteering, negotiating better contracts for the Department of Defense, saving on education programs, cutting waste and abuse in the federal tax code, keeping the federal government’s cloud and other IT markets competitive, and reducing waste in unnecessary federal arrests and detention programs.
“Our recommendations would save the U.S. government more than $2 trillion over the next decade. Meanwhile, your tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy would cost U.S. taxpayers $4 trillion over the same period,” concluded the lawmakers. “It is time to eliminate the real waste, fraud, and abuse in government spending, rather than ravaging programs that keep Americans safe, secure, and healthy just to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations.”
In April, Senator Warren and Representative Stansbury introduced the SGE Ethics Enforcement & Reform (SEER) Act, a bill to strengthen transparency and ethics requirements for Special Government Employees (SGEs). The bill would have reined in Elon Musk while he was in the SGE role by restricting certain SGEs from officially communicating with agencies and offices that regulate or contract with large companies owned by the SGE.
To mark 130 days of Elon Musk’s government service as an SGE, Senator Warren recently published a report detailing 130 acts of Musk’s corruption. While serving as an SGE and leading DOGE, Musk maintained extensive financial conflicts of interest through his ownership of or stake in several private and publicly traded companies including Tesla, SpaceX, X and xAI, the Boring Company, and Neuralink.
Senator Warren first wrote to Musk in January with 30 proposals that would cut at least $2 trillion of wasteful government spending over the next decade. She has identified numerous instances of waste, fraud, and abuse in government during her twelve years in Congress and repeatedly called out unsustainable spending, abusive practices and programs, and government contractors that line their pockets at taxpayers’ expense.
Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
WASHINGTON, June 12 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) today introduced the End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act, legislation that would ban prescription drug advertising on television, radio, print, digital platforms and social media. The bill would also answer Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s repeated calls to end prescription drug advertising, a position he promoted while campaigning for President Trump in 2024.
“The American people are sick and tired of greedy pharmaceutical companies spending billions of dollars on absurd TV commercials pushing their outrageously expensive prescription drugs,” Sanders said. “With the exception of New Zealand, the United States is the only country in the world where it is legal for pharmaceutical companies to advertise their drugs on television. It is time for us to end that international embarrassment. The American people don’t want to see misleading and deceptive prescription drug ads on television. They want us to take on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry and ban these bogus ads.”
“The widespread use of direct-to-consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies drives up costs and doesn’t necessarily make patients healthier,” King said. “The End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act would prohibit direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceutical drugs to protect people. This bill is a great step to ensure that patients are getting the best information possible and from the right source: their providers and not biased advertisements.”
Last year, the 10 largest drug companies made more than $100 billion in profits while the pharmaceutical industry spent over $5 billion on television ads. Prescription drug commercials now account for more than 30% of commercial time on major networks’ evening news programs. In the first three months of this year, Big Pharma spent more than $725 million advertising just 10 drugs. Meanwhile, the American people pay, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs and one in four Americans cannot afford the costs of the medicine their doctors prescribe.
Banning direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising is not a radical idea. In addition to Secretary Kennedy, the American Medical Association endorsed a ban a decade ago. Studies have shown that more than half of prescription drug ads are misleading or false, causing many Americans to underestimate the associated risks. Harvard researchers found that the majority of the most advertised drugs had little to no therapeutic benefit compared to existing prescription drugs. America’s seniors are particularly at risk of being misled as pharmaceutical companies strategically target them by pushing high-priced medications that may cause them harm.
For example, in 2010, Eli Lilly spent $205 million on direct-to-consumer ads and made $3.2 billion in sales for the antidepressant drug Cymbalta, despite Food and Drug Administration (FDA) findings that the company’s ads made unsupported and misleading claims of effectiveness and minimized its safety risks. Merck spent $300 million marketing the painkiller Vioxx and made $2.5 billion in sales, despite finding in 2000 that their product raised the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Dr. David Graham, a senior FDA official, testified in 2004 that Merck’s failure to stop selling Vioxx had resulted in as many as 55,000 unnecessary deaths from heart attacks and stroke.
Drug companies are also spending huge amounts of money on prescription drugs that cost, in some cases, more than ten times as much in the United States than other countries. In 2023, Novo Nordisk spent $263 million on direct-to-consumer ads for Wegovy and $208 million on ads for Ozempic. Today, Novo Nordisk charges nearly $1,000 a month for Ozempic in the United States, while this same exact drug can be purchased for just $59 in Germany, $71 in France, $122 in Denmark, and $155 in Canada. Novo Nordisk also charges Americans with obesity $1,349 a month for Wegovy while this same exact product can be purchased for just $92 in the United Kingdom, $137 in Germany, $186 in Denmark and $265 in Canada.
Joining Sanders and King as cosponsors of the legislation are Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill).
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
Warnock Joins Faith Leaders at Vigil to Decry Cruel Cuts to Working Families in GOP Tax Bill
Senator Reverend Warnock joined national faith leaders on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to bear witness to the GOP tax bill that would reward the wealthiest Americans with tax cuts while targeting the most vulnerable with cuts to health care
“Pentecost Witness for A Moral Budget” brought together faith leaders, policymakers, and activists to pray, speak up on behalf of marginalized Georgians and Americans, and advocate for a moral budget
In his remarks, Senator Warnock recalled how he was arrested in 2017 protesting the last GOP reconciliation bill, only to be back again as a U.S. Senator fighting for working families in this latest legislative fight
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) spoke out against cruel cuts to working families in the GOP tax bill during a gathering on the steps of the U.S. Capitol with clergy and faith leaders moved by a moral conscience. The gathering, dubbed “Pentecost Witness for A Moral Budget”, was aimed at speaking up for the country’s most vulnerable—the very people the Senator’s faith calls on him to protect. The Senator and faith leaders decried how vulnerable Georgians and Americans are under real and dire threat in a moment that serves as a test to both their faith and our democracy. As the legislation text stands currently, the GOP tax bill being rammed through Congress by Washington Republicans would cut $800 billion from Medicaid, leaving 16 million more Americans uninsured, including an estimated 750,000 Georgians.
“I came to the Capitol in 2017 when they were trying to pass a tax cut for the wealthiest of the wealthy. […]I got arrested that day. Here I am, eight years later, having transformed my agitation into legislation, my protest into public policy. But I’m here today because I still know how to agitate. I still know how to protest. I’m not a Senator who used to be a pastor. I’m a pastor in the Senate. And so, here’s what we have come to do today. If this budget were an EKG, it would suggest that many of my colleagues have a heart problem. And we have gathered today to perform moral surgery because our children deserve better. They are talking about waste, fraud, and abuse. There is not enough waste, fraud, and abuse to cut $800 billion from Medicaid. That means some people will not get covered. Seniors, and veterans, and children. $300 billion out of SNAP. That means they are taking food out of the hungry mouths of children in order to give people like Elon Musk a tax cut,”said Senator Warnock at the faith-based rally.
Faith leaders and policymakers attending the gathering were praying, testifying, storytelling, reading Scripture verses about people experiencing poverty in the Bible and standing for justice, as well as advocating for a moral budget.
The public witness event was led by Reverend Jim Wallis, the founding Director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice, as well as Reverend Adam Taylor of Sojourners and Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner with the National African American Clergy Network. Senator Warnock was also joined by Senate colleagues Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
A transcript of Senator Warnock’s remarks can be found below:
Hello everybody. Thank you all so very much for standing on the Capitol steps in this moral moment in America. And I have to tell you that as I stand here today with my friend Jim Wallace, and with the Reverend Barbara Williams Skinner, and so many others, this feels like deja vu.
Because they were trying to pass a reconciliation bill in 2017 during the first Trump administration. And when they were trying to pass that bill, I was not a United States Senator. I came to the Capitol in 2017 when they were trying to pass a tax cut for the wealthiest of the wealthy. I came with clergy, including the Reverend Barbara Williams Skinner. And as I stood there, I said then what I want to say today: that a budget is not just a fiscal document, it’s a moral document. Show me your budget, and I’ll show you who you think matters and who does not. Who you think is dispensable.
And we stood there in 2017 making the same point. I was with the Reverend Doctor William Barber, and I said, “Which one of us is getting arrested today? You or me?” I got the short straw. I got arrested that day. And the Capitol police, they were professional, they didn’t mishandle me, and they deserve credit for doing what we asked them to do. But what they didn’t understand that day as they said, “Pastor, if you don’t stop praying, if you don’t stop singing in the rotunda of the Capitol, we’re going to have to arrest you.” What they didn’t understand is that I had already been arrested. My mind and my imagination and my heart had been arrested by the heartbeat of children who should not lose their food and who should not lose their health care in order to give wealthy people a tax cut.
And so they arrested me that day in 2017. Here I am, eight years later, having transformed my agitation into legislation, my protest into public policy. But I’m here today because I still know how to agitate. I still know how to protest. I’m not a Senator who used to be a pastor. I’m a pastor in the Senate. And so, here’s what we have come to do today. If this budget were an EKG, it would suggest that many of my colleagues have a heart problem. And we have gathered today to perform moral surgery because our children deserve better. They are talking about waste, fraud, and abuse. There is not enough waste, fraud, and abuse to cut $800 billion from Medicaid. That means some people will not get covered. Seniors, and veterans, and children. $300 billion out of SNAP. That means they are taking food out of the hungry mouths of children in order to give people like Elon Musk a tax cut. And the folks who vote for this will be in someone’s church next Sunday. I have a scripture for them: Away with your noise. Away with your songs. I will not hear them. I hate your festivals. I hate your solemn gatherings. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
God is not impressed by you quoting scripture. God is not impressed by you showing up to church on Sunday. The acid test of your faith is the depth of your commitment to the least and left out of God’s hungry children. In closing, and nobody believes a Baptist preacher when he says in closing, let me just say this to you: in this dark moment in our country, we know what they are trying to do to Medicaid. We know what they are trying to do to SNAP. We know what they are trying to do to federal workers. We know there are starving people abroad right now—children—through their cuts to USAID. But there is something else they are doing that is even more sinister. They are trying to weaponize despair. They are trying to convince you that they have already won and so you need not fight. This is what you must resist. You must resist the despair that is so deep that you stop fighting. Because when we fight, we win. Are you ready to stand up in this moral moment? Are you ready to stand up for our children? Are you ready to stand up for the elderly? Are you ready to stand up for the seniors and those who are struggling? Are you ready to stand up for the best in the American spirit? So let’s stick together, let’s pray together, let’s work together, let’s fight together. Truth crushed to Earth will rise again.
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
Warnock Successfully Pushes Trump Administration to Rehire Hundreds of Unfairly Fired CDC Workers
Following a months-long pressure campaign from Senator Reverend Warnock, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reportedly reinstating more than 400 people who were unfairly fired
The news follows previous successful efforts by Senator Warnock to pressure the administration to reinstate CDC probationary staff and fellows who work on public health threats
Senator Reverend Warnock: “I have been pressuring this administration for months to reinstate unfairly fired workers at the CDC so they can continue doing the critical work of keeping our families and communities safe from infectious diseases and other public health crises. I’m glad they have heard our calls to reverse course”
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement regarding his successful efforts to push the Trump Administration to rehire unfairly fired workers at the Georgia-based CDC:
“The rehiring of hundreds of dedicated health workers, many of whom call Georgia home, is welcome news for those of us who believe that public health is vital to our wellbeing and safety—not a political game. I have been pressuring this administration for months to reinstate unfairly fired workers at the CDC so they can continue doing the critical work of keeping our families and communities safe from infectious diseases and other public health crises. I’m glad they have heard our calls to reverse course and have seen the results of their reckless mistakes and rehired some of these workers. But we must remain vigilant, because this administration is determined to dismantle our public health system, which ensures our food and water are safe, our brave servicemembers stay healthy when serving abroad, and top researchers have the resources they need to combat heart disease, maternal mortality, cancer, and diabetes. I will continue to call for all these unjustly fired workers to be rehired,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.
Last month during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Senator Warnock demanded answers from the nominee to be the Deputy Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) about the wrongful firings of high-performing public health experts. In April 2025, Senator Warnock rallied in the streets of Atlanta with current and former employees of the CDC to show support for the Georgians who have been callously fired from their life-saving work at the public health institution. In March 2025, Senator Warnock successfully pressured the administration to reinstate CDC probationary staff and fellows who work on public health threats. Last year, the Senator visited the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia for the first time as Senator to learn about the agency’s efforts to protect public health, including work to combat the maternal mortality crisis and how federal funding plays a role in keeping Georgia and the country safe from infectious diseases. During Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s nomination hearing in committee, Senator Warnock spoke at length defending the importance of the CDC which employs over 10,000 hardworking Georgians. Shortly after, the Senator spoke for nearly an hour on the Senate floor, in large part in defense of the CDC’s critical work to defend public health and national security. The Senator continued to pressure HHS Secretary Kennedy to reverse the CDC firings.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) issued the following statement thanking President Donald J. Trump for signing legislation overturning California’s electric-vehicle mandates:
“I thank President Trump for signing legislation ending California’s radical EV mandates and restoring consumer choice. This decisive action will lower costs for American families, protect homegrown liquid fuels, support our farmers, and reduce our reliance on China and foreign supply chains. President Trump is keeping his promises to the American people by overturning egregious EV mandates and preventing liberal California policies from spreading nationwide.”
EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and 10 other attorneys general today filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s unprecedented and illegal attempt to dismantle clean vehicle standards. With this lawsuit, Attorney General James and the coalition seek to block the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) attempt to rescind three key Clean Air Act waivers that New York relies on to enforce its clean vehicle programs. The attorneys general argue the administration is misusing the Congressional Review Act (CRA), a federal law designed to allow Congress to review agency rules, to revoke EPA waivers previously granted to California. New York then adopted these same standards under federal law, which allows states to follow California’s more protective emission rules. Attorney General James is asking the court to protect these critical waivers, which safeguard public health and combat dangerous pollution.
“Every New Yorker deserves to breathe clean air and live in a healthy environment,” said Attorney General James. “This administration is using a sneaky backdoor to gut clean air standards that have been in place for decades, threatening our ability to fight pollution, protect families from toxic emissions, and build a safer future. We are suing to keep our communities healthy and defend our state’s lifesaving clean air protections.”
In the lawsuit, Attorney General James and the coalition write that when Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1963, it gave California the unique right to set its own, stricter standards for EPA approval because the state had already been regulating emissions for around a decade. This approval is granted via “preemption waiver,” and once EPA grants California a waiver, New York may adopt California’s standards and does not need a waiver of its own. Since passage of the Clean Air Act, EPA has granted more than 75 of these waivers under both Democratic and Republican administrations. In recent years, EPA granted three waivers allowing standards that are instrumental for New York’s climate goals, including:
Advanced Clean Cars IIregulations, requiring automakers to sell an increasing number of zero-emission vehicles in New York, as they have been for decades;
Advanced Clean Trucksregulations, which aim to accelerate the widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, and are critical for New York’s efforts to address climate change and protect public health; and
Omnibus regulations, which require heavy-duty trucks sold in New York to meet strict standards for oxides of nitrogen emissions, which are major contributors to smog.
Last month, the administration transmitted these three waivers to Congress as “rules” subject to CRA procedures, even though all three waivers state EPA’s consistent and longstanding position under both Republican and Democratic administrations that waiver decisions are not “rules.” Until now, no administration has ever tried to use the CRA to block state environmental regulations. Both the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the Senate Parliamentarian have confirmed that these types of EPA decisions are not subject to the CRA. Nonetheless, the administration elected to push forward with this effort, and last month, Congress – overriding its own procedural rules – passed resolutions disapproving the waivers. Today, the president signed the resolutions of disapproval into law, officially revoking the waivers.
Attorney General James and the coalition argue the EPA’s decision to transmit the California, and therefore, New York waivers to Congress for disapproval under the CRA is unprecedented and unlawful. The attorneys general assert waiver decisions are not federal “rules,” they are formal judgment orders granting states permission to enforce their own standards, a distinction recognized for decades by both EPA and Congress’ own legal experts under multiple administrations. Attorney General James and the coalition argue that these actions violate several federal laws, including the Clean Air Act, which grants California, and by extension, states like New York, the authority to adopt stricter emission rules than the federal baseline.
Joining Attorney General James in the lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
DENVER – Today, the Trump Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency proposed to gut air quality standards for power plants across the country, risking the nation’s air quality and slowing progress in the transition to clean energy. Colorado is a national leader in air quality protection through common-sense standards that protect communities and kids, coupled with a strong, free market-driven transition away from polluting fossil fuel power plants to clean, renewable energy.
“Coal power is the highest cost form of energy in the grid, and this doesn’t change Colorado’s plan to phase out coal power. Protecting our air quality is critical for the health of our communities and kids. While the Administration’s proposal is disappointing, I am unfortunately not surprised to see the President slash through standards that protect our clean air from reckless polluters and force ratepayers to pay more for high priced legacy coal power. Despite some in Washington, D.C. putting special interests over the health of Americans, Colorado will stay the course and move towards more affordable, resilient, and lower cost energy. We are a leader in air quality protection and investment in the innovative clean energy solutions of the future,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis.
“Colorado has worked hard to build strong, science-based protections to ensure clean air and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “Rolling back these federal safeguards threatens both public health and climate progress, undoing one of the most significant national strategies to cut greenhouse gas pollution from power plants. Regardless of what happens in Washington, Colorado will stay the course, with policies that prioritize the health of our residents, protect the air we breathe, and advance our climate goals.”
Under Governor Polis’s leadership, Colorado electric utilities are on track to exceed their goal of 80% pollution reduction by 2030, and are making progress toward 100% clean energy by 2040. Each year in office, Governor Polis has signed legislation and implemented effective policy to accelerate clean energy, lead on climate action, and protect Colorado communities from air pollution.